The present invention relates to a network scanner system and in particular to a network scanner system capable of realizing an operational environment for a shared scanner connected to a network in working at offices, which is the same as or better than an operational environment for a locally connected scanner.
Conventionally, there is a great need to use a scanner to input image information in working at offices, thereby constituting a database or reusing it as documents.
In general, in such a case, a scanner is locally connected to a personal computer (PC), and the user in most uses operates the PC or work station (WS) directly and inputs image information to the scanner.
This mode of use, in which the scanner is locally connected, is suitable to a case where the scanner is provided for personal exclusive use. It is useless, however, to provide an expensive, high-speed and high-performance scanner for personal exclusive use.
In the use in which a great deal of images/documents are treated, there is a higher demand for sharing a high-speed and high-performance, if expensive, scanner with a plurality of users.
In the prior art, even in the case where such a scanner is shared by the users, the general mode of use is such that each user goes to the PC or WS, to which the scanner is connected, performs input operations, transfers or fetches data by some method, and brings the data to his/her own desk for use.
On the other hand, the network-coupled type scanner has recently been developed (Hewlett-Packard; Scanjet 4Si).
However, where this network-coupled type scanner is used, an exclusive application is required on the PC and the application for scanner, which has been used thus far on the PC, cannot be used directly.
In addition, where the network-coupled type scanner is used, if there is a discrepancy in attributes of input images, e.g. size, resolution or density of color, between the time of inputting an image and the time of using the image, the input has to be performed once again.
Specifically, there is a serious problem in operability with the use of the network-coupled scanner, although such a problem is not conspicuous with the scanner connected to the user""s own PC directly, that is, locally.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances and its object is to provide a network scanner system wherein an operational environment for a shared scanner connected to a network, which is the same as or better than an operational environment for a locally connected scanner, can be realized, and image information can be input with use of a scanner to constitute a database or reuse the information as documents in working at offices, thereby meeting a need for using a great deal of images/documents.
In order to achieve the object, in the network scanner system of this invention, attribute information of a plurality of terminals connected via a network is managed and image information input from the scanner is stored. Upon request for transfer of image information from each terminal, the image information is selected on the basis of a predetermined determination standard and the image information is converted to have attributes matching with the terminal. The resultant image information is transferred. Thus, each terminal can use the transferred image information with no alteration.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a network scanner system comprising:
a plurality of terminals connected via a network;
storage means, connected via the network, for storing attribute information of each of the plurality of terminals;
image read input means, connected via the network, for reading an image, converting the image to electronically processed image information, and inputting the image information;
temporary storage means for temporarily storing the electronically processed image information input from the image read input means;
reception means for receiving a transfer request, from the plurality of terminals, for transfer of the image information read by the image read input means;
conversion means for reading, when the reception means has received the transfer request for the transfer of the image information from the plurality of terminals, the attribute information of the terminal associated with the transfer request out of the storage means, and converting the image information stored in the temporary storage means on the basis of the read-out attribute information; and
transfer means for transferring via the network the image information converted by the conversion means to the terminal of an origin of the transfer request.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a network scanner system comprising:
a plurality of terminals connected via a network;
image read input means, connected via the network, for reading an image, converting the image to electronically processed image information, and inputting the image information;
document discrimination means for discriminating the kind of document from the electronically processed image information input by the image read input means for each input image information unit;
temporary storage means for temporarily storing the electronically processed image information input from the image read input means;
storage means, connected via the network, for storing attribute information of each of the plurality of terminals and the kind of document for each input image information unit discriminated by the document discrimination means;
reception means for receiving a transfer request, from the plurality of terminals, for transfer of the image information read by the image read input means;
conversion means for reading, when the reception means has received the transfer request for the transfer of the image information from the plurality of terminals, the attribute information of the terminal associated with the request and the kind of document for each input image information unit out of the storage means, and converting the image information stored in the temporary storage means on the basis of the read-out attribute information and kind of document for each input image information unit; and
transfer means for transferring via the network the image information converted by the conversion means to the terminal of an origin of the transfer request.